Shortly after the death of her Father, Alex (Katreeva Phillips) travels to Dallas to attend his funeral only to show up after his burial. Disowned by her sister and looking for any trace of her father as a memento, Alex travels to her father’s house to sift through the few possessions of his which remain. There she finds a notebook with his name written on the front, an old Walkman, and a cassette labeled ‘The Ghost Lights’.
When she plays the cassette in the Walkman, we are transported back to a conversation in West Texas on the evening of October 15, 1978. Alex’s Father, Arthur (John Francis McCullagh), interviews a local by the name of Mario (Billy Blair) about the mysterious lights which are said to appear in the night sky over the ghost town where the man lives. Alex decides to pursue her father’s research in the hopes of publishing a story, but lack of sleep and the pursuit of a Man in Black (Timothy Stevens) take the journey down a paranoid track.
This movie has a lot of good bones. The story itself, the haunting and rarely seen Ghost Lights, and the use of time and reality-bending are very compelling. The character of Alex is not. She seems flakey, inconsiderate, irresponsible, and not very bright. While some of her poor decisions can be linked to heavy drinking or unexplained insomnia, other actions make no sense such as not throwing the deadbolt on several separate occasions when she knows someone is pursuing her. You can tell this was a low-budget flick, but there are many striking shots that might make you think differently.
Sadly, the horror elements of this film wear down the thriller elements by alerting you with camera angles and sound design to the possibility of a tense moment before it has a chance to become tense. Maybe lovers of horror would enjoy these horror elements, but at times it felt to me like I was watching a horror film where nothing scary ever happens. The elements of paranoia and insomnia are used well a couple of times but aren’t well explained and don’t make sense in many others.
That being said, patrons looking for an indie sci-fi thriller will be interested in seeing The Ghost Lights. The premise and some of the execution are excellent and lovers of UFO hunting movies will enjoy it greatly. Recommended.
What public library shelf does this title belong on?
The Ghost Lights belongs on Sci-Fi, Thriller, and Indie library shelves in public libraries.
Would this film be suitable for a public screening?
The Ghost Lights would be a great option for community venues, libraries, or universities looking to host a public screening of a horror or science fiction film during the Halloween season.